It’s a simple statement, but it can be one of the hardest things to do in our chaotic, money-centric lives.

We often look back on our teenage years and think, how carefree those days were, how much free time we had to enjoy life, how filled with freedom and joy those day were. Our rose-coloured glasses hide the fact that this joviality was helped enormously by the fact that we lived at home, had no bills to pay, ate for free, had no commitments apart from school and occasional household chores, and we weren’t yet assailed with the expectations and pressures of adult life.

This is not to say adult life is not a happy life. But often our happiness is superseded by stress and strain that our work, family, friends and sometimes love demands. We all get caught up in being busy all the time and then wonder why we’re not enjoying ourselves like we used to. Sundays off remind us briefly of how easy and carefree life can be, but then Monday arrives and we roll out of bed with an ache to return to yesteryear.

I came across a great quote on Pinterest a few weeks ago that made an impression on me which lasted long after I closed my laptop. It was simply: ‘Stop the glorification of busy’. It struck such a cord with me, as I’m guilty of constantly feeling as though I have to be busy in order to be a normal, deserving person. But it’s bullshit and I realised this. I realised I don’t have to feel guilty for sleeping in on a Tuesday, or lying about a commitment I didn’t have so I could just be at home and rest. We deserve time out and we deserve to do the things that make us happy.

So I promised myself to start doing just this: do the things that make me happy. I wrote a list of all the little things that give me joy and peace and gratitude, and I promised myself to do one of these things at least once a day.

Some things on my list include: go to the markets and buy fresh flowers, go for a picnic in the park and stare at the clouds, paint my nails, do a face mask, write in my journal, embrace my boyfriend and tell him how much I love him.

The things that make us happy don’t have to be big, and oftentimes they aren’t. Something as small as taking the time out to sit in your favourite spot in the house and drink a cup of tea, or looking in the mirror and telling yourself that you are beautiful, can make a huge difference in our otherwise stressful and doubt-filled day.

So I really advise you to write your own list of things that make you happy and to make sure you put aside time in each day purely for you. Let’s all stop the glorification of busy, and let’s stop feeling guilty for taking time out to treat ourselves.